Aryna Sabalenka will take on Barbora Krejcikova in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Australian Open on Tuesday at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. The battle between the two Grand Slam champions could be the most captivating encounter of this stage, especially after a mass exodus of top seeds.
Krejcikova got past Mirra Andreeva in the fourth round in three sets. The Russian teenager was her first real big-name challenger in the tournament. Andreeva won the first set, but the Czech star fought back to bag the next two. Before this, Krejcikova defeated Mai Hontama, Tamara Korpatsch, and Storm Hunter in the first three rounds in that order. All of these opponents were placed outside the top 80.
Sabalenka, meanwhile, is in menacing form. After beating Ella Seidel and Brenda Fruhvirtova in the first two rounds, she produced a stunning double bagel against #28 seed Lesia Tsurenko in Round 3. The Belarusian brushed away Amanda Anisimova in the fourth round. Not only is she yet to lose a set, but she has yet to concede more than four games in one set. She has inflicted three bagels and one breadstick so far.
Sabalenka is primed to defend her title in this weakened field. She has been ruthless, using her powerful serves and groundstrokes to their full extent against opponents who haven’t been able to fight back. #9 seed Krejcikova will be her highest-ranked opposition but has looked scratchy. The 2021 French Open winner has spent over eight hours on court, grinding out hard-fought wins.
Far from her best, Krejcikova will likely be no match for a white-hot Sabalenka. The World No.2 may not secure a win as one-sided as her previous matches given the pedigree of her opponent. Regardless, The SportsRush predicts a straight sets win for Aryna Sabalenka.
The duo will play on Tuesday, January 23, not before 7:00 p.m. local time (3:00 a.m. ET). ESPN+ and Tennis Channel will stream the match in the USA. In Australia, the Sabalenka vs Krejcikova live streaming will take place on 9Now. The infamous Melbourne heat is coming back, with clear skies, low winds, and temperatures around 28°C.
Barbora Krejcikova and Aryna Sabalenka form guide and head-to-head
Barbora Krejcikova had a good season on the WTA Tour but a poor Grand Slam run despite starting the previous season well. She won two tour titles in 2023, including the WTA 1000 Dubai Tennis Championships. However, she suffered first and second-round exits in every Grand Slam except the Australian Open. Her 2024 started with a first-round elimination in the Adelaide International. She came into the 2024 Australian Open as World No.11 and 0-1 for the year.
Aryna Sabalenka, meanwhile, lifted her first Grand Slam title in Melbourne last year. She made it to at least the semi-finals of all the Majors, picking up an additional two tour titles. She reached World No.1 briefly in 2023. Her 2024 season got off to a good start, as she beat three seeded names en route to a runner-up finish at the Brisbane International. She entered the AO as World No.2 with a 4-1 record.
Sabalenka leads Krejcikova 5-1 in a lopsided head-to-head. They first clashed in the 2020 Linz Open and then the 2021 US Open, both of which the Belarusian won. They faced off four times in 2023, beginning with the Dubai Championships. Krejcikova beat Sabalenka in the quarterfinals on the way to the title. However, the latter got her revenge and defeated her in their next three meetings at Indian Wells, Miami Open, and Stuttgart Open.
